Dissertation defence (Chemistry): Sp MSc Chemist Ali Tuna
Sp MSc Chemist, Ali Tuna defends the dissertation in Chemistry titled “Novel Approaches on Tetrapyrrole Chemistry, Indium Corroles and Aqueous Flow Batteries” at the University of Turku on 25 August 2026 at 13.00 (University of Turku, Calonia, CAL 1, Caloniankuja 3, Turku).
Opponent: Associate Professor Eduardo Anaya Plaza (Tampere University)
Custos: Professor Pekka Eero Peljo (University of Turku)
Summary of the Doctoral Dissertation:
The transition towards a carbon-neutral society depends on new technologies that can efficiently harvest, convert and store renewable energy. This doctoral dissertation addresses these challenges through research spanning artificial photosynthesis, coordination chemistry and aqueous flow batteries, demonstrating how molecular design can contribute to future sustainable energy technologies.
The first chapter of the research focused on tin-chlorins, a family of molecules closely related to chlorophyll, the natural pigment responsible for photosynthesis in plants. The chlorin-based photosensitizers were developed to utilize visible light for driving electron- and hydride-transfer reactions involving biologically important nicotinamide and flavin co-factors in presence and absence of a transfer catalyst. These studies improve our understanding of light-driven chemical processes and provide new knowledge for the development of artificial photosynthesis and sustainable photocatalysis.
The second chapter of the dissertation investigated indium corroles. For more three decades, indium corroles had remained one of the few missing members of metallocorrole family because previous attempts to synthesize them had been unsuccessful. This research successfully prepared and characterized the first indium corrole complexes reported in the scientific literature, overcoming a long-standing challenge in coordination chemistry. The first single crystal X-ray structures of indium corroles (unpublished) had been also achieved as revealing the atomic-level molecular structural insights. These findings establish a new era for exploring and expanding the chemistry of metallocorroles.
The third chapter of the dissertation explored new organic and inorganic redox-active materials for aqueous (water-based) flow batteries which are rechargeable battery systems designed for large-scale stationary energy storage applications. Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries used in portable electronics and electric vehicles, flow batteries are particularly well suited for stationary purposed integrated with solar and wind renewable sources. The research introduced and investigated several new organic and inorganic electrolyte materials, providing a better understanding of their electrochemical behaviours and identifying new strategies for developing safer, more sustainable and longer-lasting energy storage systems.
Although these research topics span different fields of chemistry, they are united by common understandings on molecular designs, characterizations, analytical approaches and useful applications. The knowledge generated in this dissertation advances fundamental chemistry while providing new concepts and molecular systems that may support future developments in artificial photosynthesis, coordination chemistry and electrochemical energy storage technologies. Together, these contributions help advance the scientific foundations needed for a more sustainable and low-carbon energy future.
